Do not know where to begin!

This is the first time on a forum for me so be gentle! I have embarked on a challenge that was given to me by my boss.... writing a book about the modeling industry (a guide/ self help book) After being an agent for the last 12 years, I have seen many people sabotage their own chances for success and this book will hopefully help current working models as well as aspiring ones. I have almost completed the first draft and about to get on with interviewing agents from around the world. I would like to think that this book could be the voice of the agent community rather than just my point of view. Anyway, nervous rambling here, I'm desperately trying to find out how to get an editor/publisher and any tips or advice that you may have will be greatly appreciated.

first of all, you need to do your homework and research what books may already be out there on the subject...

having hopefully found none that are current and similar to what you have in mind, then you'll need to do up a formal book proposal... this is a very complex multi-part thing that although it has certain standard 'musts' will also vary somewhat from one publisher to another, so be sure to tailor each proposal sent out to that venue's submission guidelines...

since you work for a modeling agency, your higher-ups would have professional access to literary agencies, i should think, so i'd start by getting yourself an agent... that will give you a shot at the major presses that will not accept unagented/unsolicited queries/submissions...

since you're not an established author, you'll have to prove you can write, as well as collect a series of well-executed interviews, so you'll also have to include sample chapters that are polished to a faretheewell...

i'd be happy to help you with any of this, so just drop me a line, if you need further info or assistance along the way... good luck!

There are various type of editors that you can find depending on the type of publishing you're going for. There are manuscript evaluators, manuscript editors, and copy editors. There are more, but those are the three I often run across. Research them and see what type you're looking for. Rox can change her style by request.

If you're looking for ideas on how to publish check these sites out:

David Gaughran has an awesome free eBook about self-publishing that I keep on my desktop. You can find it here: Let's Get Digital

Check out Seth Goodin in general. He has a lot of free marketing books that you should read, but this eBook should help: Editors

This information leans more towards self-publishing. If you're looking to get noticed by publishers, try selling few books for free on Amazon, Smashwords, and Barnes&Noble. If you're looking for information on marketing through blogs or Twitter let me know.

ajr...
you don't need an editor, you need an agent and a publisher... the publisher will provide an editor...

kashif...
regardless of whether you self-/vanity-publish or go the paying publisher route, why do you think you need an editor?...

with traditional [paying you vs you pay] if/when you snag a publisher, an editor will be assigned to your book... before then, to pay an editor to do the work you should be able to do on your own is money down the drain, since even with the best editor alive, there's still little to no chance your work will be published and/or pay well enough to recoup those editor fees...

same goes for self-publishing, as only a rare few self-published books make enough money to cover an editor's fees... serious seasoned writers edit their own work...

My editor cost about $800, I'm not investing in a $2,000 editor. The one I have does a fine job.

Two things you point out, "serious seasoned writers edit their own work." Though I've written four novels, I'm not seasoned and neither is AJR. Next, "Even with the best editor alive, there's still little to no chance your work will be published." So, if I'm trying to get published, wouldn't I want to increase my chances by having the strongest possible manuscript?

The market is very different today
If you're publishing for eBooks and would like to sell your novel for $0.99 like many people do, you're right, you don't need an editor. But many reviewers on Amazon often point out issues in stories. Reviews can be brutal and decrease your sells. One gentleman was praised for his work by many but received 3 of 5 stars for his reviews. People hated his grammatical errors and a few issues in his story. That's hurting his revenue.

I agree with you: The eBook market is much different than going through a formal publisher. I'm not saying that getting an editor is the only way to go, but it's wrong to think it's a bad idea.

Publishing is an investment not a hobby
Break down the math: For self-publishing, investing $800 for a story that sells 200 novels at $2.99 on Amazon will get you $448.50 because Amazon takes 35%. Double your sells and you'll make your money back. If you don't plan on selling 400 copies, why would you try publishing?

For big house publishing, I've never once read an article that recommended submitting in today's market without having at least a manuscript editor unless you were a seasoned writer. I'm sure a veteran like yourself would have it much easier, but for people just starting off, there are tons of stories with writers nearly getting published but suddenly hearing back that their document wasn't accepted.

Why do we need editors?
An editor isn't a grammar/spell checker. They find loopholes in stories and offer advice on how to strengthen your content. Why wouldn't I want that for my novel? I'm 50% of the way through with my editor and my story is already much better. Even if my beta-readers found no issues with my story, I'd make the investment to purchase an editor. I'm self-publishing and every veteran self-publisher that I've come across has recommended it.

Here are some links to help
David Gaughran has books and blogs out that summarize today's market. One's about the .99-Ebook and the other is about self-publishing in general.

I have published before, though not with the intent to sell. I do research to better my knowledge of the field because I'm not experienced and haven't sold 100,000 copies.

AJR, I advice you to do the research like mammamaia said. Forums are great for opinions, I have plenty all on my own. But Google searches are great ways to learn about publishing. Many authors give their advice in simple, easy to understand post on their blogs. There are tons of free books from great authors including Seth Goodin (I personally find him inspirational). Good luck!

AJR, I would take maia's advice. Get an agent and he/she will help you find a publisher. Anything that needs editing will be done by the publishing house's editor. Paying anything for an editor is just a big waste of money.

Kashif, most writers aren't going to make enough sales to cover the outrageous costs of an editor. Besides, a good writer should be able to find grammar mistakes. Also, if you're concerned about loopholes, get some people you know (and whose opinion you respect) to read what you've written and then make changes accordingly. A lot of the reviews on Amazon come from casual readers, so if you have little to no grammar/spelling errors and a decently written novel, chances are you'll get good reviews. (I've actually found that reviewers tend to be harsher when reviewing books by famous, established writers, and that while books by emerging (i.e. not well known) writers have less total reviews, they are, on average, rated higher. Music tends to follow this trend as well.)

All the complaints of quality, grammar, etc. are because of self-publishing. Basically, anyone who puts in a little time and money can publish a book, regardless of writing skill. Like I said before, paying an editor is a bad idea since there's a good chance you'll never get that money back through book sales.

The truth is that most writers who self-publish end up losing money. This is why going the traditional publishing route is better since the publisher pays the writer and not the other way around.